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{
    "id": 382872,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/382872/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 41,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "are the three individuals who made significant contributions without necessarily incurring millions of dollars to make their points. I wish to congratulate them although they are not here to receive the congratulations. However, I would like to say that these are individuals who demonstrated that we can make a change on our environment without incurring a lot of expenses. There are indicators to show that pollution is taking place, especially within our water systems. It does not take a lot of intelligence for one to see that pollution is taking place, especially within our water systems. Pollution can be detected very easily, especially when we see a change of colour, density and taste in our water. These are very obvious indicators that our water is, obviously, being polluted. Therefore, we need to be very careful to see what to do with this kind of pollution. This morning, I would like to dwell a bit on industrial pollution which causes immediate danger to human beings and other creatures that exist within the environment. Industrial pollution is one of the most difficult things to deal with. This is because it deals with items that are not bio-degradable such as synthetics and heavy metals. Hyacinth is also a pollutant to our water. We know that towns grow around rivers. The two rivers we are talking about this morning are heavily polluted by pollutants from industrial waste. Being a medical person, I know that the Tana and Athi rivers are polluted by heavy metals that emanate from medical practices in urban areas around Nairobi. These are heavy metals such as mercury, silver and lead that are discharged into the sewerage system of the city without the necessary equipment that can detect and neutralize the metals. These heavy metals are the biggest causes of medical consequences in our environment. That is why this discussion on pollution, especially of water systems, has a huge implication on the medical health of each individual. In this case, the pollutants I have mentioned are hardly covered by the existing legislations, especially the primary causes of these pollutants. For example, in medical practice, the processes of disposing of some of them are not clearly defined. There are no committal penalties that go with the abuse of disposing of heavy metals into our systems. I dare say that these heavy metals, since they are difficult to dispose of, very easily get into the food chain. This happens at the Tana River or the Athi River where our sukumawiki and cabbages are grown. Some of our beef is also brought from this area. I dare say that I have seen studies showing the heavy metals emanating from urban areas have entered the food chain in this country. In fact, it is very immediate to us that the sukumawiki we use coming from the downstream are contaminated. These heavy metals go to the food chain. The consequences are very serious in terms of the health of individuals. We are also aware that the penalties that go with the pollution of these rivers, especially in large scale industries are not commensurate with the damage they cause to the environment. That is why this Motion is very significant. One of the aspects it will address is that of compensation and there is no better compensation than what will come from those who pollute the environment. I dare say that some Government institutions like the City of Nairobi are one of the heavy pollutants of the specific rivers that we are talking about. Pollution comes about not as a result of legislation, but as a result of negligence. I support this Motion because it talks about compensation. Those who pollute rivers must be made to account in terms of compensating those that are affected by the consequences that come on board. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}